“Someone will be back to take your order,” the hostess told us.
I turned the menu over to the beverage list and handed it to Grace. “Riley, what are we getting today?”
Afternoon tea had several options, but it was for the entire table.
“Oh, we should get the special-tea, since that has the most food. Also, a pot of jasmine green tea?” Riley asked.
Grace nodded. “Sounds good. Now, do I get a beer or a cocktail with a silly name? Perhaps a mimosa?”
“The champagne here is mid, but they have a very nice wine list,” I replied.
Grace ended up with a beer, I got a glass of merlot, and Riley ordered a blinking mock-tail.
“Did you have fun at the gym today, Grace? I love that place.” Riley took a sip of her drink.
The two of them had gone with Jett to the boxing gym this morning. I’d played a little golf, since I was healing up fine.
“I like it. Next weekend I’ll have my motorcycle license, and we can take my bike?” Grace took a drink of beer.
Oh, how I love the way my good doctor’s pink lips looked wrapped around the neck of the bottle.
“Perfect. You looked good when you were practicing earlier. You’ll pass your motorcycle test no problem,” Riley agreed.
“Yes, you’ve got this,” I assured. Once again, I’d joined her on my own motorcycle, and it was fun going around the neighborhood with her.
“Here’s your tea.” The server brought a pot of tea and put it on the table. She gave each doll its own tiny teacup. “I’ll be right back with your food.”
Riley looked at Grace. “We’re allowed to take the doll teacups home.”
“I think we should build a blanket fort and make the guys have a tea party with us in it.” Grace took a picture of her doll with the teacup.
“Which guys?” Riley laughed, doing the same.
A grin spread across Grace’s face. “All of them.”
“I’m there,” Riley agreed.
“I’d do it,” I told them. Evan, Wes, and I played tea party with Riley many times over the years.
Grace leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. “I know.”
The server brought over a tower of sandwiches, savory pastries, fruit, and treats and set it on the table. “Enjoy.”
We started eating. Riley kept feeding her doll and taking pictures.
“Spencer, you haven’t fed your doll anything. So neglectful.” Riley laughed.
I pretended to feed my brown-haired loaner doll some sandwich. Grace snapped a photo. A moment later my phone buzzed, and I saw that she put it in the group chat.
“Are you enjoying yourself, my good doctor?” I gave her a fond look as I took a sip of merlot.
Last weekend had been frightening, but all week Grace had been in good health and was only occasionally grumpy because she felt smothered by the others. She was looking forward to returning to the lab.
“I’m enjoying the company. Do you think Tru would like to come here and have tea? I know she’ll be in camp most of the week, but I’d like to do a few special things with her.” Grace bit into a savory pastry. “I love bacon.”
“I can’t think of a better place to take her. She’d love it,” I assured.
Everything for ourFuture Internproject with Rock Tech’s math camp was going well. Our VP of Communications was excited about the positive press that it would bring. I was excited because it made Grace happy. She couldn’t wait, not just to spend time with her little sister, but to nurture Tru’s love of math and sense of wonder.
